Card index



CARD INDEX w. H. sHoRTLlDGE .K'Filed Nov. 25, 1952 April 16, 1935.

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Patented Apr. 16, 1935 l UNITED STATES `PATENT OFFICE l 19 Claims.

In my invention the cards are lmounted on the support, which is usually inthe `form of a tray and Vfor convenience is hereinafter referred to as such, by means of a'novel form of carrier' bar which isV mounted in the tray ina novel manner so that an individual bar and the card or cards mounted on the bar may be con# veniently offset relative to the cards on the remaining bars and may be returned to their normal or alined position without removing the bar from the tray. The bar may also be conveniently inserted in or removed from the tray at any point without disturbing the remaining bars and also without dismounting the card or cards from the bar which is to be inserted or removed.

I use the term Ycards herein as inclusive of sheets of paper, such for instance-as correspondence and the like.

I also provide new and improved means for mounting the cards on the carrier bars, one or a plurality of cards being mounted on the individual bars and a card being mounted on or dismounted from a bar without disturbing the card` or cards on the same bar.

I also provide means for locking the card or cards to the carrier bar to prevent their accidental dislodgment therefrom.`

Other novel features of construction and also or" arrangement of parts will appear from the following description.

In the accompanying drawing wherein I have illustrated a practical embodiment of the principles of my invention, Fig. l is` a broken plan View showing aseries of index cards and carrier bars mounted on a tray, one of the cards being shown oiset.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line '.2-2 in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view on enlarged scale taken along the line 3--3 in Fig. 1, the carrier bar being shown in its normal or alined position.

4 is a longitudinal section of one of the carrier bars.

Fig. 5 is a top plan'view of one of the carrier bars. f Y

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showingA the bar offset. A Y

Fig. 7 is a detail in section showing a plurality of cards mounted on the same carrier bar, the bar being in section along the line 'I-'I in Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a broken face View or" one of the cards.

carrier bar arranged to receive cards of different dimensions.

Fig. 1l shows another modified form of carrier bar arranged for mounting a large group of cards thereon. l l

Fig. 12 is an enlarged perspective of the'ller clip which may be used to keep the cards snugly in position on the carrier illustrated in Fig. 11.

Referring rst to Figs. 1 to 9 inclusive, I represents the tray which preferably has a continuous bottom. The tray may be conveniently made of metal and its lateral edges are hanged upwardly, defining its sides.

Thus at one side, the left side in the drawing, the metal is first iianged upwardly as at 2-and then doubled downwardly as at 3, and then bent horizontally and inwardly to form a lip which is spaced slightly above the bottom of the tray so that the ends oi the carrier bars maybe inserted therein, as will later appear.

. L At the'other side of the tray the metal is rst y anged upwardly as at 5, then doubled inwardly and downwardly as at E and then ilanged horizontally in flat Contact with the bottom of the tray as at 'I with its inner end turnedrupwardly to form a low vertical rib 8. f

9 is a spring-metal tongue extending inwardly and downwardly from the side of the tray. The same may be riveted or otherwise secured to the portion 5.

The ends of the tray I may be ilanged upwardly as at la.

I represents the carrier bars which preferably are formed of sheet-metal, such as aluminum; Ifdesired the carrier bars may be made of wood, stiff` and 'substantial paper or other suitable material. The bars are preferably of the inverted trough formshown and theends of the bars are formed by the tongues II and I2 respectively, which incline downwardly to the bottom level as shown, so that they may be inserted beneath the lip 4 and the springV tongue 9,'respectively. Adjacent to its ends the trough body is pinchedin laterally as at I3, to strengthen and stiien the bar.

I4 represents longitudinally elongated openings cut inthe top wall of the bar adjacent the ends of its trough portion, and I5 represents slidable shutters arranged to contract the length ofthe openings I 4 from their inner or adjacent ends, the shutters being held in position against -the under side of the bar by the screws I6 which extend through slotsin the bar.

Adjacent to the end of the bar which' engages the spring tongue 9 theside- Walls of the bar are out from below to form the two spaced apart and opposed abutments I8 and I9 and the intervening depending shoulder 20 which preferably stops short of the lower edge of the bar.

When the bar is mounted on the tray it may be positioned with either abutment I8 or I9 bearing against the rib 8. Thus when the abutment I8 abuts inwardly against the rib 8 as shown in Fig. 3, the bar and the card or cards carried thereby are in their1 normal or alined position, but when as shown in Fig. 6 the abutment I9 bears outwardly against the rib 8, the card or cards mounted on the bar are offset, as is the caseof the card in Fig. l which bears the name Alter. A card may be moved from its normal position to its oiset position by moving the bar longitudinally from left to right, and a card may be returned to its alined position by moving'the ,bar from right to left. The shoulder' 20 interposed between the abutments I8 and I9 prevents accidental shifting ,of the bar and its card or cards, owing to the pressure on the bar `exerted by the spring tongue Si.

The `bars are of such length that by moving the bar farther to the left from its position `Shown in Fig. 3, the right end of the bar is moved from under the tongue 9 and the bar and its card or cards may then be lifted from the tray. In mounting the bar on the tray, the left end of the bar is first inserted under the lip 4 far enough to permit the other end of the bar to clear the spring tongue 9 and then thebar Vis moved to the right until its right end isl inserted under said tongue. In moving the bar longitudinally in either direction-as above described, the resiliency of the tongue permits the bar to be raised suiliciently for the'abutments and intervening shoulder to clear the rib 8.

Again, the carrier `bars may be made long enough to prevent the rightfend moving out from under the tongue 9 when moved to the ,extreme left. In such case the tongue 4Bris sprung Vupwardly to` permit the end of the bar to clear the tongue in installing -or removing the bar.

`The cards illustrated ,at 2| are of any convenient size and proportions, depending upon the capacity of the tray and theV carrier bars, and are flexible. 22 representsthe hinge members which are attached to the lower edges of the cards and which may be of any suitable material. I prefer however touse kraft paper-or linento prevent tearing. Preferably such hinge members are of inverted T-shape with theirV inverted stems split or double as at 23, so that thecardmay be inserted down between the leaves and secured thereto as by pasting or riveting. The horizontal portions or heads 240i the hinge members are spaced below the edgeof the card and are disposed horizontally.

Where the card is flexible the hinge members may be so placed that by flexing the'card the heads of the hinge members may be inserted in the openings I4 and when the card is allowed to straighten the outerends of the heads move outwardly past the outer ends of the openings, thus hingedly securing the card to the bar. Y.The card may be conveniently removed from the bar by again ilexingthe card to withdraw the ,horizontal portions of the hinges into the openings in the bar.

The openings Min the barare-preferablymade wide enough to receivethe hinges of a plurality of cards, as illustrated in' Fig. '7,andit is evident that any individual card ,may be vmounted on or, dismountedfrom a; barlwthout disturbing the other cards mounted on the bar. It is further evident that the card or cards may be mounted on or dismounted from a bar without removing the bar from the tray.

After the card or cards have been mounted on the bar, the shutters l5 may be advanced sufciently to contract the openings I4 so that the cards cannot be flexed or moved relative to the bar and thus disengaged from the bar unless the shutters are first retracted.

Where the card is not iexible, itsy hinge members may be inserted into the openings of the bar .and the card then shifted, usually toward the left so that the heads of the hinge 'members engage beneath the left end of the openings I4. The

shutter I5 of the left opening may then be adjusted to contract the opening and prevent accidental release of the card from the carrier bar. This method may also be advantageously used in case the -card is a sheet of relatively thin paper such as correspondence paper.

If desired butfone hinge member may be used and the shutter employed to lock it in the proper opening in the bar, but I prefer to employ two hinge members for each card. v If desired the hinge members may be L-shaped-that is with the head extending to one side only, but I prefer the inverted T-shaped type.

In Fig. l0 I show a carrier bar Ita arranged for cards of different dimensions. Thus three sizes of cards may be accommodated, such as index cards, which are Yin common use, eight by iive inches; six by four inches, and iive by three inches, and it is advantageous to provi e for the simultaneous mounting of two or more sizes oi cards on the same carrier bar.

Thus the bar is provided with the usual le*- hand opening 14a and adjacent to its other end with three spaced openings Mb, vIdo and Idd. The hinge members of the largest `size card are inserted in openings Ma and Md; those or the intermediate size card in openings Ma and Ito, While those of the smallest card in openings Ma and Mb. The opening Ma is provided with a shutter which is shifted to Alock .the hinge members of the cards in the opening I 4a.

In Fig. 1I I have shown a bar I @b having a body or trough portion of increased width to provide additional width for its openings II. Thus a relatively large group of cards ymay be mounted on the same bar.

'.I'o hold the cards ,in proper position when less than the bar-capacity of cards is mounted on the bar, I provide means for adjusting the effective width of the openings to suit the number or cards actually mounted on the bar. Thus I may provide the spring spacer bar 25 having curved flanged ends or toes 26 which may be sprung into the openings III and engage the ends of the oY enings. The spacer clip ymay be slid into proper position to hold the cards in place with the requisite snugness. Again by sliding the spacer clip the openings in the carrier bars may be enlarged as additional cards are mounted on the carrier bars or reduced as cards are removed.

The following are some of the numerous advantages of my improved card nie.

Any one or more ofv the-cards may be quickly and conveniently oiset and returned to normal alinement Vwithout disturbing the remaining cards in the file.

Any size and number of cards or other papers may Abe `mounted -on .a carrier bar .within the limits of the Awidth .of thetray and within the capacity of ,the-hnger-openings in the carrierbar.

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Carrier bars of any desired card-capacity may be employed and the capacity of the individual bars adjusted so that any number of cards within the limit may be held snugly in position.

By means of the shutters a card or cards may be conveniently locked against accidental dismounting. This is particularly advantageous as the cards may be of very thin or flexible material, or even thin sheets of paper, such as correspondence, which would easily flex and thus, unless some locking means were provided, the card or sheets would tend to releaseV themselves when handled.

Where a plurality or group of cards are mounted on a single carrier bar, any one or more of them may be removed without disturbing the remaining cards on the bar, and additional cards may be added to the group and mounted on the same bar without disturbing those already mounted thereon, and these added cards may be interposed as desired between mounted cards.

VWhile I prefer to use metal asy a material for the carrier bars, Wood, substantial paper or other material may be used.

I claim:-

1. In a card file, the combination of a support, a carrier bar arranged to be detachably and slidv ably mounted on the support, said bar being provided With spaced-apart openings, a card having` hook-shaped hinge-members depending from its edge, said card being adapted to be mounted on the bar by inserting the free ends vof the hingemembers into the openings and then moving said hinge-members to hook them under the edges of the openings, and means for preventing the accidental disengagement of the` hinge-members from the openings.

2. In a card nle, the combination of a support, a carrier bar arranged to be detachably and slidably mounted on the support, said bar being provided with spaced apart openings, a card having hook-shaped hinge-members depending from its edge having their free ends extending toward the opposite ends of the card, the card being adapted to be mounted on the barby flexing the card to permit the insertion of the hingemembers through said openings and the free ends of the hinge-members moving past the i outer ends of the openings VWhen the card straightens to hook under the edges of the openings, and means for preventing the accidental disengagement of the hinge-members from the openings.

Y3. In a card le, the combination of a support, a carrier bar arranged to be detachably Aand slidably mounted on the support, said bar being provided with spaced apart openings, a card having hook-shaped hinge-members depending from its edge, said card being adapted to be mounted on the bar by inserting the hinge-members into the openings and moving the hinge-members to hook the hinge-members under the edges of the openings, and means movably mounted on the bar to restrict saidopenings and prevent the accidental disengagement of the hinge-members therefrom.

4. In a card le, the combination of a support, a carrier bar arranged to be detachably and slidably mounted on the support, said bar being provided With spaced apart openings, and a card having hook-shaped hinge-members depending from its edge, said card being adapted to be mounted on the bar by inserting the hinge-members into said openings and then moving the the already.

hinge-members to hook them under the edges of the openings, the openings in said carrier bar being of sufficient Width to accommodate the hinge-members of a, plurality of cards arranged in parallelism.

5. In a cardr le, the combination of a support, a carrier bar arranged to be detachably and slidably mounted on the support, said bar being provided with spaced apart openings, and a card having hook-shaped hinge-members depending from its edge having free ends extending toward the opposite ends of the card, the card being adapted to be mounted on the bar by flexing the card to permit the insertion of the hinge-members through said openings and the free ends of the hinge-members moving past the outer ends or the openings when the card straightens, the openings in said carrier bar being of sufficient Width to accommodate the hinge-members of a plurality of cards arranged in parallelism.

6. In a card file, the combination of a support, a carrier bar arranged to be detachably and slidably mounted on the support, said bar being provided With spaced apart openings, a card having hook-'shaped hinge-members dependingrfrom its edge, said card being adapted to be mounted on thebar by inserting the hinge-members into said openings and then moving the hinge-members to hook them under the edges of said openings, the openings in said carrier bar being of suilicient Width to accommodate the hingemembers of a plurality of cards arranged in parallelism, and means for adjustably limiting the effective Width of said openings to hold the cards in proper relation.

7. In a card le, the combination of a support, a carrier bar arranged to be detachably and slidably mounted on the support, said bar being provided with spaced apart openings, a card hav-v ing hook-shaped hinge-members depending from its edge having their free ends extending towardv the opposite ends oi` the card, the card being adapted to be mounted on the bar by flexing the card to permit the insertion of the hinge-members through said openings and the free ends of the hinge-members moving past the outer ends of the openings when the card straightens, the openings in said carrier bar being of sufficient Width to accommodate the hinge-members of a plurality of cards arranged in parallelism, and means for adjustably limiting the eiective Width of said openings to hold the card in proper relation.

8. In a card file, the combination with a support provided along one edge With an overlying iiange and at its opposite edge with a` spring tongue, and a card-carrier bar arranged to be mounted on said support, said bar being of such length as to be installed in said support by rst having its one end inserted under said flange with its other end clearing said tongue and then moved longitudinally to engage the last mentioned end under said tongue, the spring tongue being arranged to bear downwardly on the bar to prevent accidental longitudinal movement of the latter whereby the bar may be shift-ed longitudinally relative to the support toY adjust its position and the bar is held in its adjusted position against accidental movement therefrom.

9. In a card iile, the combination of a support provided at one edge with an overlying flange and at its opposite edge With an overlying spring tongue, said support being provided With a rib paralleling said tongue, and a card-carrier bar having its ends arranged for insertion under said Cil flaneeand tongue, the bar beine provided with an abutment arranged to 'bear'againstV said rib Ato brei/'ent aeefident'al longitudinal movement of the 10. In a card le, the combination of a support provided atene edge with an overlying iiange and at vits opposite edge vvith an overlying spring tongue, said support being provided with a rib paralleling said tongue, 4and a card-carrier b ar having its ends arranged for insertion under said ange and tonguethe bar being provided with opposed and spaced apart abutments, one abutment bearing on the rib'vvhen the baris in one of its positions and the other abutment bearing against said rib when the bar is in the other of its positions, the spring tongue preventing the accidental shifting of the bar out ofv either of its positions.

11. In a card le, the combination of a support provided at one edge with an overlying ilange and at its opposite Vedge with an overlying spring tongue, said support being provided with a rib parallelin aid tongue, a card-carrier bar having its ends a W rr ngc-d for insertion under said flange and tongue, the bar being provided with opposed and spaeed apart abutments, one abutment bearing on the rib when the bar is in one of its positions and the other abutment bearing against s aid rib when the bar is in the other of its positions, and a shoulder interposed between said abutments, whereby the spring tongue prevents the aooidental shifting of the bar out of either of its positions.

l2. In a Card le, the combination of a support, a carrier bar arranged tobe mounted on the support, said bar being provided with an opening adjacent one end thereof, and a plurality of spaced apart openings adjacent the other end of the bar, anda plurality of cards of different dimensions, said cards being provided with dependingangular hinge-members arranged to be inserted in the proper openings, said hingemembers being adaptedto be moved to hook them under the edgesof said openings.

13. In a card file, thecombination or" a support, a carrier bar arranged to be mounted on the support, said bar being provided with an opening adjacent one end thereof, a plurality of Aspaced apart openings adjacent the other end of `the bar, and a plurality of Cards of dierent dimensions, said eardsbeing provided with depending angular hinge members arranged to lbe inserted in the proper openings, said hinge members being adapted to be moved to hook them under the edges or said openings, and means for preventing the accidental disengagement of said hinge .members from said bar. A

14. In a card rile, the combination with a support, a carrier bar arranged to be detaohvabiy mounted on said support, said bar being provided With a top wall elevated above'said support and said Wall being provided with an opening anda card to be detachably mounted on the bar, a hook-shaped member depending from the card and having a horizontal portion arranged to be insertedrdownwardly through the opening inthe bar and moved laterally to engage underneath the top Wall of the bar, of means oarried by the bar for preventing Vthe disengagement of the member from the bar by the accidental longitudinal shiftingof thecard.

15. In a oard le, the combination vvitha support, a carrier bar Iarrangedto'be detachably mounted on'said support, said bar being" provided with a top wall elevated above said support and said Wall being providedWithl an opening and a card to be detachably mounted on theb'ar, a hook-shaped niember'depending'from thec'ard and having a horizontal portion arranged tov be inserted downwardly through the opening inthe bar and moved laterally to engage underneath the top wall of the b ar, of means 'carried bythe bar for reducing the Capacity of said opening'to prevent the accidental disengagement of the aylfd from the bar.

16. In a Card' index, the combination of a support provided vvith a bottomand an overhanging'lip andspaeed therefrom an overhanging spring tongue, and a carrierbar provided with means vfor attaching a card thereto and having its opposite ends arranged to engage under the lip andA tongue, the spring tongue'pre'ssing down on the inserted end of the bar to prevent accidental longitudinal movement of the bar relativeto the support.

17. In a card index', the combination of a s upport provided With a bottom and an overhanging `lip and spaed therefrom an overhanging spring tonguefand a Carrier-bai" provided with means for attaohing a card thereto and having rits opposite ends Varranged toen'gage'under the lip and tongue,` thespring tongue pressing down on the inserted enljof V,the 'bar to prevent accidental longitudinal movement of the bar relative tothe support, said bar being of the proper length so that it may be detaohablymounted on the supportV by irstinserting one end under the lip sufiiejiently topermit the 'other end'of the bar to clear vthe' spring tongue and then Ymoving the barlongitudinally to engage its last named e'n'dI under the spring tongue.

1 8. In a Card index, the combination of a support provided Withfa bottom andan overhanglip and spaced therefrom an overhanging spring tongue, and a carrier-bar provided With means foi1 attaching acardthereto and having itsv vopposite ends arranged to engage under the lipand tonguejthe spring tongue pressing down on the inserted end of the bar to prevent accidental longitudinal movement of the bar relative to the support, the end of the bar being flattened to prevent rotation of the bar on its longitudinal axis.

19. In a card index, the combination of a support provided with a bottom and an overhanging lip andspaced therefrom, an overhanging spring* tongueyand a carrier-bai" provided With means for attaching a card thereto vand having its oppositeend's arranged to'e'ngage under the lip and tongue, thespring tonguepressing down onthe inserted end of the bar to prevent aceidental longitudinal movement of the bar relative to the support, the end of the bar being fiattened topi-event rotation'of the bar on its longitudinal axis, said bar being of the proper length so that it may be detachably mounted on the support by first inserting one en'dunder the lip sufficiently tor permit the otherend of the bar to clear the spring tongue and then moving the bar longitudinally'to engage'lits last 'named end underthefspring`tongue.

Y' WENTWORTH l, H. ,SHO'RTLIDGEL 

